Dominating the centre of Tournai, the Cathedral is the largest in Belgium, and a UNESCO World…read moreHeritage Ssite by virtue of its architecture, treasures and its history. Built on the site of an earlier Christian sanctuary, the nave and transepts date from the middle of the 12th century, and are classics of romanesque architecture. The crossing has a squat central bell-tower, flanked on each corner by a further four towers with pyramidal caps, each reaching 83m. This forms the most distinctive feature of the cathedral, and gives the appearance of a 'forest' of towers at its centre. Another distinctive feature is the rounded apsidal transepts. The choir was rebuilt in a dramatic gothic style and on a grand scale in the mid 13th century, aping that of nearby Amiens. After the dramatic exterior, the interior is currently something of a disappointment: the nave has been plastered in a plain style (and painted a vile pale pink) which conceals much of its character, and the aisles are currently obscured by renovation works. At the crossing is the splendid classical rood-screen, designed and built in 1672 by Cornelis Devriendt. Beyond that, the choir is currently off-limits to visitors and entirely filled with scaffolding for renovation works, which are scheduled to take several years longer. (Once fully open, this will be a five-star attraction). But the other glory of Tournai is still accessible, and that is its Treasury. Tournai has one of the most stunning collections of mediaeval church silver in the world, including the incredible reliquary shrine made by Nicholas de Verdun in 1205. Nearly a metre long, and in the shape of a chapel, it is heavily decorated in gold, silver and gilt. Other treasures include an 8th century Byzantine cross, and clothing belonging to St Thomas a Becket from Canterbury. Unsuprisingly, photographs are not allowed, and access to the Treasury is through a huge reinforced door...

Its 300 ft tall brick tower, the second tallest of the world, illustrates the craftsmanship of the…read moreBruges builders. Since it was Sunday this historic church was closed to the public. Inside we missed art treasures, Michelangelo's world-famous marble Madonna & Child as the absolute highlight. The rich church interior contains numerous paintings, 13th and 14th century painted crypts and the 15th and 16th century tombs of Mary of Burgundy & Charles the Bold.

Aside from the Belfort, one of the church towers dominating the Bruges skyline belongs to this…read morechurch, which is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Churches dedicated to the Virgin Mary can be found throughout the Benelux region. While this church does not have cathedral status (that's in Antwerp), it has the distinction of housing the only Michelangelo sculpture to make it outside Italy. LOGISTICS - Church is free to enter, but most of the church's main attractions are sequestered from public view. To access this area costs €6. At the time of visit some parts of the church are under construction. - You can buy a combination ticket that also includes the connecting Gruuthusemuseum for €14. This is worth it if you like to deep-dive into Bruges' history. Highlights - 115.5 meter brick tower, second tallest in the world. - Ceremonial tombs of Mary of Burgundy and Charles the Bold, located in the choir. Charles died in battle, while his daughter Mary died in a horse riding accident. - The aforementioned Michelangelo sculpture of Mary and baby Jesus in Carrara marble. The sculpture was originally meant for Siena Cathedral but was purchased by a Bruges merchant family while in Italy, who then shipped it to Bruges. - Wooden prayer chapel meant for the private worship of the family of Louis of Gruuthuse. While the exterior is seen from this church, the interior is accessed through the connecting Gruuthusemuseum. This church is definitely a highlight of one's trip to Bruges, especially if one has been to Italy beforehand and has seen all of Michelangelo's works.

The basilica was tucked away in a corner of this plaza hemmed in on one side by City Hall and the…read moreother side by the Basilica of St. Basil. I was able to enter the Basilica before mass and had the opportunity to explore both chapels. Upstairs was the ornate and richly painted chapel with a beautiful wooden ceiling. Downstairs the chapel was quite stark and a bit dark. Quite a contrast between the two different styles. The relic containing the cloth with the blood of Christ was located on a platform overseen by a sitting priest. One queued at the bottom while the person ahead spent time looking at the container. I suggest starting here before exploring the rest of the basilica in case of lines.

Tucked away in the corner of the square laid the church that has a sample cloth of Jesus' blood…read more The church had many wooden pieces and relics. Wonderful place to sit and reflect.

From the owner: Une église toute en rondeurs Cette église, inscrite dans l'enceinte établie par Vauban après 1667,…read moredoit sa silhouette curieuse à un espace central circulaire entouré de bas-côtés en forme d'anneau. Surprenante, elle mélange renaissance flamande (décoration du ch'ur), Grèce antique (élévation de la coupole, ordres doriques et ioniques) et style baroque (ailes de la façade).